Royal Macchiato Carrot Cake

This is not a quick, slam-dunk, out-of-the-box cake, but it is a cake you’ll be glad you took the time to make and will again. It isn’t difficult, but it does use some ingredients that might be a little harder to find, so we’ve made some suggestions of how to overcome those challenges. It is a special occasions cake recipe you’ll probably be tempted to serve too often.Substitution may be made for the liquor in this cake with any flavoring you like as long as you have the equivalent liquid.

NOTE: You can bake this cake as a large sheet cake and frost with Lemon Cheese Creme if you’d like. As a sheet cake, I decorate it as I do as a torte cake, with a sprinkle of lemon zest and the Caramel Royal Macchiato Drizzle over the Creme frosting. It’s always a big hit!

CAKE:

Cream butter in FP Bowl, (or large mixer bowl) with sugar and splenda. Pulse (or mix on high) to combine, add 3 eggs (one at a time), pulsing 2 times (or mixing a few stroke) after each addition then add flavoring.

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, cut in cubes

1 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. Splenda

3 eggs

1 tsp. butterscotch (or butternut) flavoring

Measure together into a food processor bowl, pulsing together 4 or 5 times. Dump into a bowl and set aside. (If not using an FP, stir together with a whisk until thoroughly mixed)

Bake the layers in 350° oven for 15-18 minutes. Be sure to check for doneness at 15 minutes as ovens vary. In any case, bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Immediately upon removing baked cakes from the oven, brush each layer lightly with Crown Royal Caramel syrup***.

Allow cakes to then cool in pan for 5-7 minutes, then turn out on cooling rack or clean tea towel. Layer and frost when thoroughly cool. I wrap and freeze mine as soon as they are cool, then frost/fill while frozen.

Frost or fill as you wish. I use Lemon Cream Cheese Creme for filling and bourbon flavored Whipped Cream (sweetened with 2 tbsp. powdered sugar**) for sides and top to balance out the sweetness. Adding a few sprinkle of lemon zest to top for decoration dresses up the cake and adds an ingredients clue.

Tips & Suggestion

*If you can’t find carrot juice concentrate, simmer bottled carrot juice until it is reduced, thick and syrup-like; if you have a juicer, fresh is perfect

**Sweeten heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar. This keeps the cream from “breaking” (separating) after it is whipped.

***Crown Royal Caramel Syrup: Recipe Repeated from above

Stir 1/3 c. Caramel Sundae Sauce together with 2 tbsp. Crown Royal (any good burbon or whiskey will do). Heat 1/4 to thin for brushing over warm cakes. Keep the remaining 1/4 cool for Macchiato drizzle over “frosted” cake.